Chapter 3: Keeping the Secret

The Night before, the citizens of Markham were enjoying the peace and quiet of a beautiful summer's evening. That soon ended when they heard an explosion, this was then followed by screams as energy beams shot everywhere. In pure panic, the people started running for their lives, all the while Starlight Glimmer, the unicorn from Equestria, kept firing at them.

"I'll find you Twilight Sparkle, even if I have to reduce every town to ashes," she snarled and proceeded to attack again.

She kept firing, until she heard sirens in the distance. She growled crossly and ran off into hiding, just as the police and fire department arrived. The fire department fought hard aganist the flames and soon had many of the fires out, though many homes were destoryed.

"Whoever attacked this town will pay for their crimes," said one of the officers crossly.

It was now the afternoon and while I was suppose to get ready to meet up with my buddies, I was doing as much research as I could on Starlight Glimmer. It really didn't seem that she was as bad as Twilight had said. Heck Queen Chrysalis or King Sombra sounded like worse villians than Starlight Glimmer, but it's like Twilight said, I don't know her as well as she does.

At one point during my research, I found five of the six ponies all around me and staring at my computer curiously. Only Twilight Sparkle didn't seem interested, I guess it's because of her previous adventures to Canterlot High.

"Uh, you five are sucking the air out of my personal space."

"Sorry," they all said and backed off.

I then looked up several videos and saw the whole attack. Some of the neighbours, who took shelter in their basements, took some shaky home videos, but they didn't get a good view of the attacker, though one viewer commented that it was a unicorn. At least it was her and not Chrysalis or Sombra. If it was either one of them, there would've been some deaths. That doesn't bear thinking.

"All I can say now is that Starlight better hope you get to her before I do, cause NO ONE attacks my old hometown and gets away with it!" I was so angry that I slammed my fist on my desk, making Twilight jump out of her seat and fall to the floor. "Sorry Twilight, you alright?"

"I'm fine," she answered.

"I didn't mean to get angry, but my best memories are from that town, it just gets to me." I took in a few deep breaths in the hopes of calming myself down. It worked, but I couldn't help but wonder if I could've made a difference if I had been there.

"It's perfectly understandable Darling," Rarity said kindly, "we would be acting the same way if she did that to Ponyville."

"Most likely she was going to do that before we tracked her down," Rainbow Dash pointed out. "But at least there the cititzens had a fighting chance, all humans can do is run for their lives. Uh no offence Matthew."

I sighed heavily, "none taken Rainbow Dash, though you're partly wrong, some humans can fight back, though you wouldn't like the outcome of those moments."

Silence filled the room, that was until Fluttershy piped up, "I hate to change topics of discussion, but aren't you suppose to get ready to meet up with your friends Matthew?"

I looked at the clock and noticed it was now three thirty.

"Gosh dang it, I am suppose to get ready!" I jumped out of my chair and ran to get myself ready.

It was around four when I had finished. As I walked back into my entertainment room area, I noticed Pinkie Pie looking at my collection and she was reaching out for one of my many items, and if I had to guess, she wanted to open them up. I ran over towards her and slapped her hoof away.

"Ow! That hurt!"

"Sorry Pinkie Pie, but I can't have you opening these. My collection here is meant to preserve the history of these items, which means keeping the toys, books and movies in their packaging. I've spent about thirteen years building this collection to where it is."

I am a little obsessive about my collection true, but the slap was definetly not the right thing to do. I got down on my left knee so that I was eye level with her, grabbed her hoof and rubbed it gently.

"I'm sorry Pinkie, I didn't mean to do that. If you want to, you can smack me."

I held out my arm and waited for the smack. But Pinkie didn't smack me at all, she just showed a kind caring smile, "I won't smack you, it's not what good friends do. I except your apology, but under one condition."

"What is it?"

"That I can have that chocolate cake you have."

My eyes opened wide in shock. She was talking about that big cake I bought two days ago, I hadn't even started eating it yet, and don't ask why I bought one, I just did.

"Uh Pinkie, that's a big cake, you're not going to eat it by yourself are you?"

"Of course not silly, I'll share it with the others."

I smiled at this, "alright then, it's a deal, you can have the cake. I need to cut back on junk food anyways."

Feeling very happy, Pinkie's big wide smile returned and she bounced her way upstairs. I followed her up the stairs and found her already starting to cut the cake. I wasn't too sure on the idea of Pinkie using one of my knives, but then I remembered they know how to use them.

"Alright uh, everypony, I'm going to meet up with my friends, I'll try to make it back as soon as I can. Help yourselves to whatever I have here, oh and you can watch some television if you want to."

"But how?" Fluttershy asked, "we don't know how it works."

"I'm sure Twilight knows, after all, she's been to a human world before, am I right?"

"Yes, but how...oh wait never mind, I think I know how you know. You've seen my adventures at Canterlot High haven't you?" she asked me. I nodded my head, "is there any of our adventures you haven't seen before?"

"Just your most recent adventure."

I grabbed my keys and headed out to my truck. I started it up and wondered if any of the ponies jumped at the sound of it. I shook the thought out of my head and headed off for the mall in New Liskeard.

For as long as I can remember, the mall was always a busy place. There were so many stores you could shop at if you were looking for something, there were at least two resturants and a cart where someone sold hot dogs and burgers, and finally there was a grocery store and the bank. I always loved going to this place as it had everything and more. These days though, the mall is more like a ghost town as there are fewer bussinesses, only one restruant, the bank and the small grocery store, which doesn't have everything a person is looking for. I often avoid the mall as I can't bare to see the empty spaces, but this is where I was to meet up with my friends, so I drove up to the parking lot and parked near the bank area of the mall.

"This place sure has seen better days," I thought to myself.

Moments later, my friends arrived in their van. They looked well rested now. I sighed, stepped down and walked up to greet them, giving Patrick and Ryan high fives while Emily gave me a hug. As she did so, I noticed a ring on one of her fingers, it was a My Little Pony light up ring, and it had a picture of Rarity.

"So, shall we go in and eat?" asked Ryan.

"Yeah, let's go in. Oh and don't worry about paying, this is on me guys."

As we entered the mall, we could see very little people. Just a few going into the bank and others walking out of the grocery store, maybe one or two walked past with bags from the remaining stores, but it was still a low number compared to the hundred or so people I would see ten years ago. The resturant; Steak Villa, was still just as busy as I had remembered it. We got in before the rush hour and as we waited for our orders, we got into talking about what had happened since we last met.

"I know I haven't really responded back to you Matt," said Ryan, "but you got to understand, I am busy with part time jobs and going back to school, it keeps me busy."

"No I understand perfectly, I'm just glad to know you're keeping yourself busy, and at least you try to reply back as soon as possible."

"That's true," he nodded.

"What about you Patrick? What have you been doing as of late?"

"Oh, a little bit of this and a little bit of that, mostly playing small roles in films. I like to tell you some of the titles, but they haven't been released yet, so it's better not to say anything."

"Well that's okay, I'll be sure to keep an eye open for those."

"A few are horror movies."

"Uh right, probably better not." My buddy Patrick is a film star, he had been since he was young, but if there was one set of movies I didn't enjoy watching, it was horror movies. Those films give me nightmares for nights on end, five nights to be honest. "Sorry Patrick, but you know what happens when I watch horror films."

"It's understandable buddy. Besides, nobody's going to force you to watch them."

"Right nopony, uh nobody will make me watch them." I grunted under my breath, the ponies had only been in my house for one day and now I'm starting to talk like them.

"You alright Matthew?" Emily asked.

"Oh yeah I'm fine, don't worry about me. I guess I'm just watching too many episodes of My Little Pony."

"Well alot of people do," she said, looking down to her Rarity ring. "It is a good show to watch, and I really love the movies that come out too. Wouldn't it be great though if they were for real? Maybe then I can ask Rarity of how she gets her mane the way it is."

Patrick rolled his eyes, "the odds of those ponies being real is impossible, they are a cartoon series after all, and it's not like they can just pop out of a television screen. Right Matt?"

"Yeah, that's right," I gulped.

"Well, it's just a thought anyways, but still, if they were real, I guess their enemies would be too," said Emily. "Like that Starlight Glimmer, always trying to steal the cutie marks."

"And enslaving towns," I added.

"I don't recall that happening in the series, where did you hear that Matthew?"

"Uh I..." Dangit, I revealed the info Twilight Sparkle told me before. I was just thinking to myself, 'way to go you ding-bat!'. "It's something another fan came up with for her."

"Oh okay, but she didn't seem that bad in the Season 5 opener."

"Well you never know, she just may surprise you," I muttered that part under my breath. If I said anymore, I might end up blurting out that the ponies are in my house right now, and a resturant was certaintly not the best place to say that. So we changed the topics and talked about other matters until our meals came to the table.

Due to the talking and catching up, I nearly lost track of time. After saying good night to my friends, I headed off to the house. It was six forty five by the time I got back, and as you might expect, Rainbow Dash was not too happy to see me.

"What in the name of Celestia took you so long?!" she snapped, "you'd said you'd be back in time for us to get outside, now it's getting too late for us, and I hate being cooped up all day!"

"Well not even humans can be as fast as you Rainbow Dash."

In the background, I heard Applejack chuckling, and there were some quiet giggles coming from Pinkie Pie. They went quiet though when Rainbow Dash glared at them, then back to me, "You promised us!"

"I said I might get back in time, excuse me for hanging out with my friends who I haven't seen in ages."

That calmed Rainbow Dash down, she now understood, "sorry Matthew, I was just thinking of myself."

"No, really?"

"Yes, and I'm humble enough to admit it when I'm wrong."

"Well I accept your apology, but now I think it's time that I live up to my word and allow you six out of the house for a while."

There was still little traffic, and as long as the ponies were hidden away, they could stay out a little bit longer. Luckily, there were some big bushes by the side of my house, so they would be well hidden from the rest of the world. Instantly, they were very pleased to get out of the house. Fluttershy flew over to the bird feeders and started singing to them. Surprisingly, they flew around her and started singing to her. I don't know how she does it, but I have to admit I'm impressed with Fluttershy's talents.

Rainbow Dash flew high into the sky and did flips, spins and whatever tricks she could come up with. Rarity pulled up a lawn chair and relaxed in the fading sunlight. Pinkie and Applejack ran around the property, all the while hiding away when cars passed by. As for Twilight, she stood on the ledge of my porch and looked out to the next town, which was in the province of Quebec Canada. She looked very interested in my world, though I still couldn't explain why.

As for me, I just stood there watching them all, as best as I could, though I began to wonder of how long I could actually keep the ponies safe.

BANG! BANG!

My thoughts were suddenly interupted by the sounds of what appeared to be gun-fire. That meant only one thing, "hunters!"